Active clinical trials for "Tremor"

Patients with tremor may have varying degrees of tremor at different times. The amplitude and frequency of tremor may change. The investigators observational study is intended to document this tremor.

This proposal is focused on developing a reliable, valid, and reproducible imaging techniques and statistical methodology for segregation of various forms of Parkinsonism from healthy adults without Parkinsonism.

In this study the investigators aim to identify and characterize a potential neurophysiological biomarker by mapping functional networks of brain activity (Brain Network Activation, BNA) based on analysis of evoked response potential (ERP) signals in both asymptomatic FMR1 premutation carriers and in patients with various stages of FXTAS. Additionally correlations will be studied between these BNA scores and demographics (gender, age and disease duration) as well as genetic mutation and clinical scores.

Hyperkinetic movement disorders in patients with diseases of motor neurons will be studied. Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and motor neuron disease patients will be studied. Involuntary movements will be video recorded and accelerometry with electromyography (EMG) will be recorded in a subset of patients. Hyperkinetic involuntary movements studied will be tremor and minipolymyoclonus. Tremor is defined as involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements of a body part, and minipolymyoclonus are intermittent and irregular movements, with amplitudes sufficient to produce visible movements of the joints. Hyperkinetic movement disorders may be of central or peripheral origin and using accelerometry with EMG may help distinguish the two mechanisms. In patients with SMA the investigators will explore the effect of Nusinersen treatment on phenomenology and amplitude of tremor and minipolymyoclonus. Aims: To explore the prevalence and phenomenology of hyperkinetic movement disorders in patients with MND and SMA and to study the underlying pathological mechanisms with the use of accelerometry and EMG. To explore the effect of Nusinersen treatment on phenomenology and amplitude of involuntary movements. Hypotheses: Based on clinical observations the investigators believe it will proven that hyperkinetic movement disorders are common in patients with disease of motor neurons. The investigators hypothesize that hyperkinetic movement disorders in MND and SMA patients are of peripheral origin, being caused by uneven graduation of contraction in the wasted muscles with large motor units being active with no sufficient previous recruitment of small units to smooth contraction of large motor units. If tremor and minipolymyoclonus in SMA are due to the activation of enlarged motor units which are caused by reinnervation of muscle fibers, the treatment with Nusinersen will increase the amplitude of tremor and minipolymyoclonus. Methods: Presence, quality, and regularity of hyperkinetic movement disorders will be defined using clinical examination, accelerometry and EMG. Hyperkinetic movements will be classified as minipolymyoclonus or tremor. In patients with SMA, the measurements will be repeated 6-12 months after initiation of treatment with Nusinersen.

The diagnosis and management of movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), parkinson-plus syndromes (PPS), dystonia, essential tremor (ET), normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and others is challenging given the lack of objective diagnostic and monitoring tools with high sensitivity and specificity. A cornerstone in research of neurological disorders manifesting as MDi is the investigation of neurophysiological changes as potential biomarkers that could help in diagnosis, monitoring disease progression and response to therapies. Such a neuro-marker that would overcome the major disadvantages of clinical questionnaires and rating scales (such as the Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale -UPDRS, for PD, The Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale -TETRAS, for ET and others), including low test-retest repeatability and subjective judgment of different raters, would have real impact on disease diagnosis and choice of interventions and monitoring of effects of novel therapeutics, including disease modifying therapies. To address this, ElMindA has developed over the last decade a non-invasive, low-cost technology named Brain Network Activation (BNA), which is a new imaging approach that can detect changes in brain activity and functional connectivity. Results from proof-of concept studies on PD patients have demonstrated that: 1) PD patients exhibited a significant decrease in BNA scores relatively to healthy controls; 2) notable changes in functional network activity in correlation with different dopamine-agonist doses; 3) significant correlation between BNA score and the UPDRS). 4) BNA could also differentiate early PD from healthy controls

Gamma-Knife radiosurgery of the VIM for patients presenting with severe drug-resistant tremor is now current practice as an alternative to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the VIM. Now, around 100 patients are treated annually in our unit (essential tremor or Parkinson tremor). Clinical and radiological follow-up is demonstrating that 80% of these patients are presenting with a homogenous response complete or subtotal, the disappearance of the tremor mean delay of 6 months after radiosurgery. In neuroradiological responses on the MRI, is appearing roughly at the same time local contrast enhancement surrounding highty to signal no associated with clinical side effects. In 15 to 20% of the patients, the clinical effets is not obtained and in the vast majority no MRI response or minimal MRI response is observed on images suggesting that these failures are related to specific resistance to radiosurgery of this subgroup. In roughly 5% of the patients, at the contrary, hyper response is observe on the MRI rating clinically with side effects (hemiparesis or proprioceptive ataxia or dysarthria, hands problems….). The adverse effects are generally reversible either in whole or in part with the resorption of the perilesionnel oedema. It would be extremely helpfull to be able to identify in advance these 2 groups of hyper and hypo respondeurs. The capacity to identify in advance these patients at risk to hypo or hyper response would allow us to either contre-indicate radiosurgery or modify radiosurgery technicaly at the time of dose planing. Sequently, these predictions would allow us to tailor individually mission management and information leading to improvment of the efficacy and tolerance of this kind of intervention. The parameters suspected to be likely to influence the response are : genetics co-morbidities (diabetis, vascular…) Main aspect of the brain (severe atrophy, vascular, micro-infacts…) Chronobiological (timing during the day of the radiosurgical procedure) Associated medication (potential radioprotector or radiosensitizer effect of some drugs) Radiobiological (dose rate…) The goal of this study is to collect all of these informations out of genetical one in the cohort of 700 patients having benefited ou will benefit from radiosurgery in the situation for essential tremor and parkinson disease. It will be test the predictive value of these parameters and the capacity to predict hyper or hypo response. The work on the genetic material will take place in the second stage in the frame of a new different resarch project.

A cornerstone in PD and ET research is the investigation of neurophysiological changes as potential bio-markers that could help in tracking disease progression and response to therapy. Electroencephalography (EEG) could provide a non-invasive and relatively inexpensive tool for identification of such bio-markers. In this study the investigators will use high-density electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, in order to develop a platform of sensitive and reliable bio-markers for disease progression and response to MR-guided Focused ultrasound thalamotomy (FUS-T) intervention for tremor.

National Survey of Essential Tremor Plus in China（NSETP-China）is a multicenter cross-sectional study designed to investigate the clinical features of ET-plus in mainland China.

Parkinson´s disease (PD) diagnosis is based upon clinical examination. Although imaging has helped doctors to identify many diseases, it still does not add too much information for the diagnosis of Parkinson´s disease. The investigators are going to perform a large sample study including PD patients, essential tremor and healthy volunteers in order to evaluate if MRI can help in the diagnosis. Our hypothesis is that fractional anisotropy (FA) in the caudal portion of substantia nigra is decreased in PD patients.